The present invention relates to metal mounting brackets and, more particularly, to metal mounting brackets for mounting electrical wiring boxes to supporting structures such as metal studs.
A number of mounting brackets of different design for mounting electrical wiring boxes to supporting structures such as metal studs are well known to those skilled in the art. By way of example, in the prior art, mounting brackets have been utilized and/or described which variously include features such as clips for securely gripping the edges or flanges of metal studs (e.g., U-shaped or C-shaped studs); teeth, prongs or barbs for biting into interior or exterior portions of metal studs; resilient snap-on gripping members or slotted members arranged to be attached to interior portions, edges or flanges of metal studs (for example, after the studs have first been deflected or flexed by hand to permit insertion of the members into the interior of the studs); tabs arranged to be bent around edges or flanges of studs and to be secured thereto; spring-loaded members capable of being flexed by hand to allow insertion into the interior of studs; and members arranged to be secured to studs by fastening devices such as self-tapping metal screws and nut-and-bolt arrangements. Many of the brackets of the prior art avoid the need for installation tools, even simple and commonplace tools such as pliers and screwdrivers, and some of the brackets are adjustable, or removable by hand once mounted to studs. Examples of the above and other features of mounting brackets are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,930,242; 3,360,151; 3,376,005; 3,474,994; 3,491,974; 3,522,924; 3,588,019; 3,606,223; 3,684,230; 3,720,395; 3,730,466; and 3,780,209.
While the prior art mounting brackets having the abovedescribed features appear to offer reasonable solutions to the problem of mounting wiring boxes to metal studs, they nonetheless have certain drawbacks and disadvantages. Many of the brackets, for example, are very complex in design, difficult to install, require close manufacturing tolerances and are difficult to manufacture at low cost, particularly if the brackets have multiple parts or have numerous bends or intricate shapes and require special treating, such as welding or heat-treating. Many of the brackets are usable with studs of only a single depth and many of the brackets cannot be used on both sides of studs or with I-shaped studs. Further, the avoidance of installation tools in several instances is accomplished at the expense of brackets of complex and intricate design and without significant reduction, if at all, of the labor content and expense of the installation process.